The Last of Us Showrunner reveals why they cut the death of a beloved character from the show

The famous HBO post-apocalyptic drama series, The Last of Us, is based on the Naughty Dog computer game of the same name. The narrative primarily follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they navigate a world devastated by a deadly fungus outbreak.

While Season 1, which premiered in January 2023, chronicled their journey across the United States, The Lat of Us Season 2, set to premiere in early 2026, shifts focus to their lives in Jackson and the new challenges faced in Seattle. Unlike the video game, the showrunners of The Last of Us decided not to feature the death of the dog named Alice in Season 2.

In interviews with Polygon and Decider published in May 2025, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann revealed that they believed that, with the already high level of violence in the season, such a sequence, where Ellie kills Alice, would be too upsetting in live-action.

The omission reflects a careful attempt to strike a balance between audience sensitivity and emotional effect.

More about The Last of Us Showrunners explaining why they cut the death of Alice the dog

Alice plays a significant role in Part II of The Last of Us, which was released in June 2020. A highly trained German Shepherd working with the Washington Liberation Front (WLF), she shares a deep bond with Abby, Mel, and Owen. Alice is bold, bright, and protective, frequently joining these characters on missions. She also helps combat the infected, even saving Abby during a harrowing confrontation. Despite her combat training, she is affectionate, especially with people she trusts. However, an important scene from the video game featuring her death was omitted from HBO's The Last of Us Season 2.

Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann decided to leave out the sequence where Ellie unknowingly kills Alice during a tense raid. The decision was not made at random; rather, it was the outcome of careful planning and consideration for the audience.

Mazin stated that after working on Chernobyl (2019), which featured a similarly distressing sequence with dogs, he didn't want to replicate such an extremely difficult moment in his next show either. In a press conference with GamesRadar+, Mazin joked:

“You get one dog-murdering episode a lifetime,”

On a more serious note, Mazin and Druckmann concurred that live-action frequently features more violent content than computer games. According to the duo, in a season already full of emotionally charged situations, seeing a dog hurt in such a realistic scenario would probably be too upsetting.

By omitting Alice's death, the creators seem to have preserved the episode's emotional weight without risking alienation or trauma. It is one of their thoughtful considerations that demonstrate the creative team's regard for both the narrative and its audience

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